POWER RANKINGS

1. Ohio State ( 13- 1 in 2019): The Buckeyes and Nebraska booed the loudest when the Big Ten initially postponed the fall season. They meet this week, with the Cornhuskers getting the boo- boo.

2. Penn State ( 11- 2): Is James Franklin a long- term Nit fit? Speculation is that PSU’s coach eventually will end up at USC. Can he win a conference title on the way out?

3. Wisconsin ( 10- 4): The Badgers without a proven star at running back are like chocolate- chip cookies without the chips, resulting in an offense that cannot satisfy.

4. Minnesota ( 11- 2): Rowing the boat feels a lot easier when you have Maryland and Michigan as crossover games, which says as much about theWolverines as the Gophers.

5. Iowa ( 10- 3): The Hawkeyes must break in a green quarterback. No reason to fear, though, because this is not Kirk Ferentz’s first new- QB rodeo.

6. Michigan ( 9- 4): One of these years, Jim Harbaugh will earn his lofty paycheck. This does not look to be that year.

7. Indiana ( 8- 5): Tom Allen’s program continues to progress. The Hoosiers are looking at back- to- back bowl trips for only the second time in three decades.

8. Nebraska ( 5- 7): Finally the Huskers have an offensive line capable of protecting injury- prone QB Adrian Martinez, whose body has resembled a punching bag.

9. Purdue ( 4- 8): Jeff Brohm tested positive for COVID- 19. The Boilermakers, meanwhile, are looking at coming up negative in too many of their on- field tests.

10. Illinois ( 6- 7): The Illini return more experience than all but Northwestern. The question is whether the same faces means the same underwhelming won- loss record?

11. Michigan State ( 7- 6): Can’t blame new coach Mel Tucker if he hoped a fall season would never happen, because the Spartans are rebuilding from the ground up.

12. Northwestern ( 3- 9): The Wildcats need to figure out how to perk up an offense that last season ranked last nationally in passing efficiency.

13. Maryland ( 3- 9): The Terrapins never seem to settle on a quarterback, which spells trouble without having cupcake nonconference opponents to feast upon.

14. Rutgers ( 2- 10): Greg Schiano returns to the program he built into respectability the first time around. This second act might be even more of a challenge.